Quality-control statistical interpretation by microcomputer

A comprehensive summary report of quality-control data is of great value in monitoring the accuracy and precision of the clinical chemistry laboratory. This report allows a retrospective appraisal alerting laboratory personnel to possible test control material degradation or instrument malfunction. A microcomputer-based program package is described, designed to reduce the errors and lengthy preparation inherent in the manual generation of such a report. Quality-control summary data is automatically compared with a predefined set of statistical criteria, and any aberrant values are flagged, thus eliminating subjective and nonuniform data interpretation. Statistical comparisons include: number of control points, delta mean, delta standard deviation, standard deviation index, and F-ratio. The summary report is well accepted by the laboratory staff, and its incorporation into the decision-making process allows for an efficient, critical, and uniformly rigorous examination of analytic proficiency.